Messages

31

The Hardline / Re: Air Conditioning broken

« on: Jun 17, 2012, 01:52 pm »

The theater was doing what it could - they just didn't want to pay OT to an HVAC company to come in.

That said, the problem does seem to have been resolved.  It was very hot for a day but both shows were successful yesterday.  Definitely cooler when we arrived for the matinee today and hopefully it'll stay that way once we add 200 bodies.

32

The Hardline / Air Conditioning broken

« on: Jun 16, 2012, 09:38 pm »

I've looked through the SPT book but the only mention of temperatures is the minimum of 68 degrees for audition rooms.  Currently working on a show where the A/C for the theater (and only the theater - the rest of the building is fine) has gone out.  Thermostat is reading only 77 but it definitely feels warmer and it's got to be at least another 10+ degrees on stage under the lights.  Does anyone know of a temperature threshold that's too hot for performance under AEA rules?

33

The Green Room / Re: Ten Reasons to Date a Stage Manager

« on: Jun 12, 2012, 07:09 pm »

I'm also a huge fan of #1.  I tell my friends all the time that I have no desire to make the plans when it comes to hanging out.  Give me an idea and I'll roll with it.

34

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Need Help Narrowing Down!

« on: May 23, 2012, 10:55 am »

Thank you for your advice again, everyone! It actually came down to a really tough decision. I applied and was accepted to DePaul, Emerson, Penn State, Rutgers, Webster, SUNY Purchase, and VCU. After much thought, I've decided to attend DePaul next year! I love Chicago, I love the program, and I just know that it's the place for me. Thank you all for your help in this decision making process!

My friend is also going to DePaul next fall for Tech Theater/Set Design.  She loved visiting and is really looking forward to it.

35

The Green Room / Re: Introducing the Unicorn Rainbow Sparkly Theatre Company!

« on: May 23, 2012, 10:44 am »

Ricola and the Theater have a unique relationship providing an unending supply of their original cough drops and as payment just get an advertisement in the Playbill. (They stopped doing this when the economy crashed a few years ago but hopefully we can get this going again!)

36

The Hardline / Re: Calling all SPT stage managers

« on: May 15, 2012, 03:03 pm »

there are many members who are not able to earn their health weeks now that this rule is being enforced, since companies won't hire for a second show if it means over 12 weeks of work. Frankly, much more important to get health weeks, and frankly, I would gladly concede the tiny pittance that is vacation pay for the sake of my health benefits.

Yeah I can completely understand that.  Health insurance is much more expensive than we'll make in Vacation.  I think you're doing the right thing too, by trying to change it within the Union itself.

37

Self-Promotion / Re: I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

« on: May 15, 2012, 11:50 am »

Congrats! Looks like an exciting season for you and TheaterWorks, Scott.

But I'm dying to know... will Rob make his truly awesome lasagna for the show?

That is a wonderful question.  Normally, I'd probably say yes but our actress has a gluten and dairy allergy (ironic since she's making pasta in the show) so I don't know.  I'll be sure to let you know though!

38

The Hardline / Re: Calling all SPT stage managers

« on: May 15, 2012, 11:14 am »

I haven't been impacted by it but I worry about the people willing to forgo the vacation pay that they've earned in order to get the health weeks.  I understand why they did it, but it doesn't help the Union's position when they're own members are ceding items to companies without consulting the union.  I'm not even sure it's possible even if the member agrees to it.

I work at an SPT theater in CT and they get told by AEA every year at the end of our season if someone is due vacation pay and they typically have the theater send it to AEA and then AEA forwards it to the individual.

39

The Hardline / Re: Script rewrites

« on: May 15, 2012, 11:02 am »

I'm thinking along the same lines as Matthew at this point.  Doing it in the rehearsal right now is the most important thing and there's nothing else we're working right now, other than the script.  If they start asking me to type in the specifics of the blocking for future publications, that'll be a different area altogether though.  We'll see what happens. 

My AEA Rep finally called me on Saturday but I didn't recognize the number so I didn't get a chance to speak with them about it yet and I was out of town all day yesterday.  They did mention the maintaining the production script which I'm fine with.

40

The Hardline / Re: Script rewrites

« on: May 12, 2012, 11:38 am »

It's been a full week and 3 phone calls on my part but I still haven't gotten a response from my AEA rep yet. 

41

The Hardline / Re: Script rewrites

« on: May 11, 2012, 09:14 am »

The "trial" version that I was able to download only let you save a shorter document (something like 7 pages worth). If I could get FD for a more reasonable price I would consider purchasing it myself. (I think it retails for something like 250 dollars, which is more than I am willing to spend myself.) I've had this come up at multiple theatres this year- maybe if it comes up at the same theatre multiple times, we could work something out.

My current playwright is also using Final Draft but my director isn't a fan of it.  He had someone transcribe it into Word for the moment.  But we did look into purchasing it.  Amazon lists it as $129 for the Educational Version (I don't know if there are limitations to it) or $179 for the full.  Still expensive but not nearly as bad as the $250 on Final Draft's website.  I don't work on enough new plays for me to really consider this just yet but I do like Matthew's idea of splitting cost with the theatre and getting to keep the program.

42

Self-Promotion / I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

« on: May 10, 2012, 09:53 am »

I start rehearsals today on a new play based on the memoir I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci and written by Jacques Lamarre.  A 1 woman show where we'll be cooking and handing out pasta dishes each night.

43

The Green Room / Re: summer vacation

« on: May 10, 2012, 09:50 am »

From July 8th - July 16th I'll be riding the motorcycle from Hartford, CT down to Lancaster PA, Germantown MD, and possible Rock Camp WV if I get the time.

44

The Hardline / Re: Script rewrites

« on: May 10, 2012, 09:43 am »

This is an old post but it's relevant to me today as I start work on a new script.  The Playwright seems reluctant to maintain the updates because he has another job and won't be at rehearsals daily.  The director wants me to take it on but I told him that unless it happened during rehearsal hours, it would involve OT and the theater is trying to avoid that.  That being said, we still don't know exactly who will be involved in maintaining the updates and I have a sneaking suspicion that it's going to fall to my shoulders.  I put a call in to AEA on Tuesday to ask if it fell under SM duties but of course, they haven't called me back yet.  I called again this morning but they still don't have an answer yet (sometimes I wonder what they really do at the offices in NYC but that's a different discussion).  I'll post what I hear from AEA when I get a ruling.  Also, my contract is under SPT and not the LORT book that most posts seemed to reference here.

45

Tools of the Trade / Re: Running sound cues in rehearsal

« on: Apr 06, 2012, 09:10 pm »

I use a PC so QLab is not an option for me and unless the theatre wants to buy me a Mac, I'm not going to worry about.

That said, I've been using Nero Wave Editor and SoundTrax to make cues for the last few years that are purely for rehearsal.  I typically get the mp3s or WAV files from the Sound Designer and then play them in Winamp.  I only mess around with "building" cues when I get the time because I enjoy doing it.  But I always explain to the director that these are just rehearsal cues and anything specific will go as a note to the Sound Designer.